Wednesday, July 31, 2019

Plants, plants, plants - I can't get enough of them! They not only purify the air but are can also be quite decorative and sculptural. Decorating with plants is another way to accessorize your home and they are relatively inexpensive. You can have a solo big plant or a grouping of smaller plants. Really, how you choose to decorate with plants is up to you and your aesthetic but the possibilities are endless. Cleverly placed plants can hide or at least minimize unsightly room features like pipes, radiators, etc. It is not uncommon to see plants being used to hide an unsightly radiator!

As home accessories, plants can give a fresh look to an interior and summertime is especially perfect for decorating with plants as they are at their perkiest and there is an array of plants available to buy. Which plants you select should depend on where you live, how much time you want to devote to them, and what effect you want to create. I've shared in prior posts-Best Plants for theBathroom and Best Plants for Sleep in the Bedroomwhich can also help as a guide for your plant shopping. Additionally these amazing examples of decorating with plants should provide the ultimate motivation to sprinkle some plants in your home.

Wednesday, July 24, 2019

I remember years ago when I was on maternity leave while pregnant with Zion(i was teaching at the time), and I discovered Joanna's blog, A Cup of Jo. I looked forward to reading her posts daily and it was because of her blog that the idea of forming my own blog was born. So we've come full circle to now have our home featured on A Cup of Jo! Click HEREto see the tour. Also thank you Kelsey for the beautiful article and to A Cup of Jo lovely readers, thank you for the warm embrace you've given us through your comments. xx

Tuesday, July 23, 2019

I stumbled upon a pin of this delightful space on Pinterest and had to hunt down the source which brought me to a magical glimpse into Dirac Castle. As a color lover, I was absolutely "green with envy" and immediately fell in love with the splashes of green punctuated throughout. The green painted doors are everything! Additionally, as a plant lover, I love how they've adorned their spaces with plants-so welcoming. The textures, the materials used, the details, the decor; really everything about Dirac Castle envelopes you and makes you feel right at home.

Wednesday, July 17, 2019

Gallery walls will never go out of style around here! I love them as they give me an opportunity to showcase the art pieces that make me happy. I've always wanted to try a gallery wall of art going all the way down the wall and I finally did back in the Spring.

Actually once I start obsessing over an idea, it is more than likely going to happen. In this case with Cheyenne being Ms. Busy Body, I was fully prepared for this to be a short term design realization. However, surprisingly she has decided to let Mama be great and leave the art be:-). You might remember a table being in this version of the foyer, I relocated it, and placed some of my favorite art pieces on the wall. I love how it turned out! xx

Monday, July 15, 2019

Currently sitting on my couch and trying not to drool all over my computer as I peruse these amazing deals for Prime Day. There are so many faves, like this Nespresso coffee machine. Over 2 years ago, I received one as a Mother's Day gift and I love it! The capsules come in a variety of flavors and intensities to appeal to all taste buds. Also, there is almost always music playing in our home and we love our speakers! This oneis a great deal and also connects to Alexa and this one is one of my favorite brands. And if you love plants as much as I do, well you know plant stands are a must and even better when they are beautiful to look at. This one is a beauty and a great price.
This vacuum cleaner is an amazing deal at savings over 50%!

As a family that rarely eats out and a busy Mama, our slow cooker has been so convenient and a life saver. I can let it do its thing while I get other things done. This oneis an amazing deal! Cast irons are not only aesthetically pleasing to have in the kitchen due to the array of colors they come in, but also very durable and perfect for making a great stew! Check out these cast iron skillets on sale and this orange dutch potis lovely too! I'll be sharing more of my faves throughout today and tomorrow on my instagram stories, so check those out too. xx

Thursday, July 11, 2019

At the beginning of the year, I mentioned that I was embracing being more intentional about self care. Self care looks different for everyone. For me being a visual person with a strong connection to nature, self care is surrounding myself with plants or making over my bedroom to become an area of retreat which is much needed as a Mama of 3 young ones. In January, I hopped on the celery juice hype and it is deserving of all the hype. I only had a blender at the time, so I researched juicers and found this affordable one and it works beautifully. I was juicing celery every morning for at least two months when I had a two week lapse because I had to travel out of the country. I highly recommend following Medical Medium on instagram - so much enlightening information to realize optimal health.

Losing the Baby Weight
Breastfeeding Cheyenne undoubtedly led to quite a bit of weight loss but in addition to the detox from the celery juice, I also bought the Massy Arias MA60program and I did the exercises in our little garage gym(pictured below).

I already had almost all the equipment needed and it's more convenient for me to work out at home. However, if you don't have the right equipment and can go the gym, i highly recommend that so you can achieve best results. In the beginning, I would incorporate about 30 minutes of cardio in addition to the other exercises. However, now I focus mostly on lifting and building my strength. I haven't been as consistent as I should be lately but I intend to fix that and get back to beast mode.

Diet
I've always been a healthy eater so there haven't been too many adjustments there. We are also a make it from scratch kind of family so you'll rarely find processed food in our pantry. Although I don't have a sweet tooth, I still try to watch my sugar intake.

Mental and Spiritual Care
This area of self care has probably seen the most work. I've recently experienced some things that brought me great despair but with that despair also came spiritual growth. The books,A New Earth, Awakening to Your Life's Purpose by Eckhart Tolle and A Praying Lifeby Paul Miller have been great resources that have helped me in this area. Life is an ongoing learning process but it's important to stay connected to our true selves and remember that joy starts from within. xx